I saw this on the popular auto auction website "Bring A Trailer.The seller says it's from a F4U-1D.

Comments and information would be welcome since belly tank racers are a big part of racing (usually dry lakes like Bonneville and Muroc) and hot rod history. As both a car and aviation fan and writer, I'm curious about them.

For car guys drop tank ID is really tough, and generally they hear things correct, but regurg in error.

It is a Corsair tank, but a later one. A fairly common tank these are seen on F4U-4 and on, F7F and AD most commonly today. While several contemporary cars use this tank, it is not the pleasing "big" P-38 tank (steel) that is what everyone doing this is seeking. The Lockheed tanl is all compound curves, and its teardrop shape was used on the best looking "Lakesters" of the time.

Taken from Taigh's thread...this is the "P-38" tank that is most desirable. Its really a Lockheed tank I believe and came is several sizes, bigger desirable one used on PV-2 and PBY aircraft most commonly. P-61 tank was similar if not identical.

The So-Cal Lakester is the most famous and iconic of the breed and was really something. What is important to remember is just prior to WWII the World Land Speed Record was attained by the Auto-Union and Mercedes Silver Arrow cars at a state sponsored cost of Millions of Reichmarks. Incidentally, that record, set by Rudolf Carriciola was 268mph over a flying kilometer. That record still stands as the highest speed ever attained on a public road. Ninety Minutes later, Bernd Rosemeyer was killed attempting to best that mark. Shortly after WWII, Southern California Hot Rodders attempted to recapture the land speed record using parts made by small cottage industry folks working with common and cheap passenger car engine and suspension parts. They went pretty darn fast for a lot less money. Pretty darn cool.

The drop tank used to make the car is a Douglas Mk.8-series 300-gallon tank, which had applications to post-WWII Douglas aircraft, such as Skyraiders. There were a few different versions of the tank, some with tail fins. Here is another of the exact same type: http://www.forgottenfield.com/amg/fuel/

Here is a photo showing a Skyraider with these 300-gallon tanks installed (which I originally found mistakenly labeled as the smaller 150-gallon type). In order to carry these, the hardpoints had to support 2,000 lbs., rather than just the 1,000 lbs. of the 150-gallon tanks, and therefore I believe were not suited for Corsairs.

The tank fitted to the Corsair in Joe's post, although similar in design, is only half the size at 150-gallons (too small to make a belly tank racer out of, at least for a grown person).

This first picture is of the exact same 150-gallon tank as fitted to the Corsair in Joe's post (the Collings Foundation F4U-5) - similar design, but only half the size, and numerous detail differences. It could be and was used on a number of different aircraft: http://www.angelfire.com/art2/dashvii/i ... optank.JPG

If it is hard to see the difference in size between the 150-gallon and 300-gallon tanks, just look at the difference in the proportion of the size of the fuel cap compared to the size of the tank, and the slightly different locations of the fuel caps.

The drop tank used to make the car is a Douglas Mk.8-series 300-gallon tank, which had applications to post-WWII Douglas aircraft, such as Skyraiders. There were a few different versions of the tank, some with tail fins. Here is another of the exact same type: http://www.forgottenfield.com/amg/fuel/

Here is a photo showing a Skyraider with these 300-gallon tanks installed (which I originally found mistakenly labeled as the smaller 150-gallon type). In order to carry these, the hardpoints had to support 2,000 lbs., rather than just the 1,000 lbs. of the 150-gallon tanks, and therefore I believe were not suited for Corsairs.

The tank fitted to the Corsair in Joe's post, although similar in design, is only half the size at 150-gallons (too small to make a belly tank racer out of, at least for a grown person).

This first picture is of the exact same 150-gallon tank as fitted to the Corsair in Joe's post (the Collings Foundation F4U-5) - similar design, but only half the size, and numerous detail differences. It could be and was used on a number of different aircraft: http://www.angelfire.com/art2/dashvii/i ... optank.JPG

If it is hard to see the difference in size between the 150-gallon and 300-gallon tanks, just look at the difference in the proportion of the size of the fuel cap compared to the size of the tank, and the slightly different locations of the fuel caps.

I think we have a winner. This tank looks most like the tank in the car link to me.

This photo (by Rafal Wolinski) was just posted by the Planes of Fame on their Facebook page today, of the Friedkin Skyraider, and my immediate attention went right to the drop tank - it too is the exact same type Douglas 300-gallon tank as used to make the belly tank car that is the subject of this thread:

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